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| a tight squeeze parking our car (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved |
We've been on the road for nine days now. After leaving Paris, we took the TGV to Avignon where we picked up our Renault rental. It has faithfully served us driving through the Luberon, the Gorges du Verdon, and down to Nice. We've dealt with rush hour traffic in Nice, narrow roads with hairpin turns up the mountains to Eze, and directions that didn't quite work out when, for instance, Waze would tell us to tournez à droit but darned if we could see a right turn. And then there's the stress of finding parking and squeezing a car into a tight space (such as the one pictured above).
So we realized today, after a one hour drive to Saint Paul du Vence that involved stop-and-go traffic in Nice and incredibly narrow streets in Saint Paul, that we're getting to the point of exhaustion. I'm not as young as I used to be!
The alternatives to a self-driving tour are to hire a driver-guide or to be part of an escorted group. Driver-guides are the ultimate way to go for luxury travel. An experienced driver knows the way, is comfortable with the narrow streets, and seems to be indefatigable. A great driver-guide adds so much to the enjoyment of a trip — and the appreciation you gain for the culture you're experiencing ... but they also help alleviate the tiredness that comes from nine days on the road, driving yourself.
How to find a great guide? Your travel advisor has access to trusted and vetted companies in the countries where you are traveling, one way to ensure you get the travel experience of your dreams. My best advice: book as early as possible as the best guides are always reserved first.
copyright (c) 2016 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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